The Shadow's Light: Dreaming
by Ghostdream13
Summary: A new dawn is coming for ShadowClan, and there will be a new light in the shadows ...
1. Prologue

Prologue

The crisp clean snow illuminated the pine trees like never before. Light filled every corner, no shadows littering the ground, hiding dangers and trespassers as they normally do. Only light was visible; warm, brightening, joyful light. Darkrain couldn't believe his eyes.

The grey ShadowClan medicine-cat gazed around the forest, his green eyes wide and full of wonder. His home had never been so, so … **beautiful** before. He twitched his ears as the sound of a purr broke the silence, shattering yet fragile and warm. He looked around to find a black she-cat jumping happily through the snow, chasing a butterfly. _A butterfly? But we don't get butterflies in winter. _Puzzled, Darkrain drank in her scent. _She certainly smells like a ShadowClan cat, but I've never seen her before, not even in StarClan. _

The she-cat drew closer to him, and he watched as she pinned down the butterfly, looking down at the creature with such compassion. Lifting up her paw, she sat gently on the snow and, wrapping her jet-black tail around her paws, she watched the butterfly glide silently upwards, hovering around the clearing. Twitching her whiskers, she turned and looked at him, blue eyes sparkling with recognition as she apparently recognized him.

"Darkrain!" She bounded over to him, purring richly. As she got closer, he noticed that the fur around her sapphire eyes was flecked with bright orange, intensifying her gaze. As he looked at her, puzzled, understanding flickered into her gaze. "Ah, I don't think we've met yet. I'm your Clanmate! Well …your _future_ Clanmate." She purred again.

"Who are you?" _Ugh, great question mouse-brain, and you call yourself a medicine-cat! _He winced in his mind as he scolded himself for his idiotic question.

"Well, that's for you to decide in the near future, I've merely been sent to give you a message." She paused, looking deep into his eyes. "Don't worry, as a new medicine cat you probably haven't gotten many, but you'll get used to it … and by the way," she purred, mischief glinting in her eyes. "Asking who I am wasn't a bad question at all."

Alarm flashed in his eyes. "I didn't…um…didn't think-"

She brushed her tail across his mouth, silencing him. "It's alright, I understand. Anyway, your message," She straightened up slightly, her eyes intensifying with every heartbeat, until Darkrain felt as though he could not move a paw, she was so captivating. "Darkrain, we have been wandering through darkness for to long. Look around you! This is our forest brightened by the light that is long due for our Clan. It is now time for the ghost of our dreams to guide us through this, our time of greatest need. _The ghost born of trees and night will spell the fate of the shadows."_ She blinked, and Darkrain gasped for air, shivering. The she-cat looked up and purred, closing her eyes. Darkrain gasped as he noticed that all of the fur on her eyelids was a brilliant flaming ginger. "I am afraid it is time for me to go, Darkrain. You to must go and bring me into our world."

As she finished speaking, an exploding white light that blinded Darkrain as the snow reflected its brilliance replaced the butterfly.

"Darkrain! Darkrain! Wake up!" The sound of huge crashing paws cascading into the den caused the medicine-cat to leap into the air, narrowly avoiding getting crushed by the massive ginger paws of Vinewhisker.

"What's the problem now, Vinewhisker?" Darkrain shook his head, trying to remember his dream from the night before. _There was that she-cat, and that butterfly … ugh, stay off of the catnip and poppy seed experiments, Darkrain_.

"DARKRAIN! MY KITS! MY KITS ARE COMING! NIGHTHEART! HURRY!" Vinewhisker loomed over him, anxiously kneading the ground, slicing his bedding.

"Oh, yes, the kits, I'll be right there." Darkrain stumbled into the medicine supply, collecting a few herbs. Ever since Whisperwind had retired to the elders' den, he had found it difficult to get into being the only medicine cat. He just hoped that he could find an apprentice to take the load off soon.

Hurrying to the nursery, he found Nightheart having her first litter of kits. The nervous she-cat was coping well, but was obviously getting tired. Darkrain breathed a sigh of relief as the first kit slithered onto the floor easily. Giving the kit, a tom, to Vinewhisker, Darkrain passed a few herbs to Whisperwind to help the pain. Within moments the second kit, a she-kit, joined her brother with Vinewhisker. Vinewhisker looked worriedly at Nightheart as pain made her stomach heave, but she gasped with relief as the third and final she-kit joined her sibling. Darkrain licked her fur and gasped as he saw the jet-black fur and the ginger eyelids. _This can't be possible…_

"Darkrain thank you," Nightheart was sitting up straight, her black fur plastered to her lithe frame. She was nuzzling her three kits lovingly, guiding them to her milk. "What shall we name them, Vinewhisker?"

The new father gazed down proudly at his kits as they nursed. "The tom's name should be Ripkit." The little tom growled, his black fur highlighting his red stripe running from his ears down his spine to the tip of his tail. "Ha! See, I think he likes it!" Vinewhisker licked his son between the ears, purring as he growled again.

Nightheart purred also, looking at the first daughter. "This she-kit, with the white spots and ginger rings. I think we should name her Snowkit." The dainty kit kneaded her mother's belly, drinking the milk she found there. "My little Snowkit." Nightheart purred again.

"Now, what about this little kit?" Vinewhisker looked down at the remaining she-kit, puzzled. "Love, have you seen her eyes?"

Nightheart stooped down and inspected her daughter's fur. "Well, that's certainly unique. I think it's actually pretty cute." Nightheart nuzzled her nameless daughter, purring as she sat down with a yawn.

"If I may …" Darkrain suddenly stepped forward, looking down at the young she-cat. "Can I suggest a name?"

Nightheart nodded. "Why of course, Darkrain. Anything." She blinked warmly at her brother, flicking his paw with her tail.

Smiling slightly, Darkrain straightened up. "What about Ghostkit?"

"Ghostkit…" Nightheart looked down at the tiny cat. Automatically, the kit lifted her head to the direction of her mother's voice. With a small mew, she lifted open her eyes. Sure enough, blue pools were under the flaming eyelids, and as she stared at her mother, her blazing rims an intense contrast to the cool depths, she twitched her whiskers and gave a tiny mew. Looking up, Nightheart purred at her brother and mate. "I think Ghostkit suits her perfectly."

A few weeks later, Darkrain still couldn't remember what his dream meant. He often pondered outside in the sunlight, watching the Clan go about its daily routines. He was growing particularly fond of Ghostkit, her blue eyes reminding him of something he couldn't quite place. Watching her throw a piece of moss at Snowkit, Darkrain couldn't repress a purr. Ghostkit suddenly looked back at him, her intense gaze locking him into place. She was replaced by an older but young she-cat, and as they eyes locked words from a familiar voice and face broke into her mind, bringing the dream crashing onto him like the currents of the river.

_"The ghost, born of tree and night, will spell the fate of the shadows."_


	2. Alliegiances

Allegiances 

**ShadowClan**

**Leader ~ Emberstar: black and white tom with amber eyes and ginger ears**

**Deputy ~ Shadowstep: beautiful dark grey she-cat with black paws**

**Medicine Cat ~ Darkrain: grey tom with green eyes and black spots on his back**

** Apprentice, Smokepaw**

**Warriors ~**

**Moonrise: black tom with white patch around left eye, amber eyes**

** Apprentice, Ghostpaw**

**Snowbreeze: pretty grey she-cat with white flecks**

**Willowshine: black she-cat with amber eyes and silver stripes**

**Foxfang: Red tom with unusually long fangs**

** Apprentice, Rippaw **

**Vinewhisker: Large ginger tom with blue eyes **

**Winterbreeze: white she-cat with grey flecks**

** Apprentice, Blazepaw**

**Pineclaw: Brown tom with sharp claws**

**Kinktail: dark tabby tom with a slightly twisted tail **

** Apprentice, Flamepaw**

**Morningshadow: pale golden she-cat with dark grey tinge **

** Apprentice, Snowpaw**

**Apprentices ~**

**Smokepaw: dark grey tom with lighter flecks and grey eyes**

**Blazepaw: handsome dark ginger tom with amber eyes, brother of Flamepaw**

**Flamepaw: handsome bright ginger tom with amber eyes, brother of Blazepaw**

**Rippaw: Strong black tom with red stripe running from his ears to tail tip and blue eyes**

**Snowpaw: Beautiful black she-cat with white spots on her back and ginger rings around her tail, blue eyes**

**Ghostpaw: pretty jet-black she-cat with ginger eyelids and ring around eyes, bright blue eyes**

**Queens ~**

**Nightheart: black she-cat with blue eyes and white ears, mother of Vinewhisker's kits; Ghostpaw, Snowpaw, and Rippaw (Darkrain's sister)**

**Lillystep: pretty tabby she-cat with light brown fur and black spots and stripes, mother of Emberstar's kits; Fernkit (tabby she-kit identical to her mother), Emberkit (big black tom with ginger tail and muzzle), and Ivykit (pretty tabby she-kit with ginger stripes and black spots) **

**Nightberry: grey she-cat with black tail, expecting Foxfang's kits**

**Elders ~**

**Whisperwind: black she-cat with lighter flecks**

**Fawnstep: light brown she-cat with green eyes and cream paws**

**Bearclaw: still strong brown tom with long claws and amber eyes, father of Foxfang, descendent of Tigerclaw/Tigerstar**

**RiverClan**

**Leader ~ Willowstar: grey she-cat with white stripes**

**Deputy ~ Fishleap: wiry silver tom with blue eyes**

** Apprentice, Otterpaw**

**Medicine Cat ~ Shellmoon: sandy she-cat with pale yellow eyes**

** Apprentice, Pebblepaw**

**Warriors ~**

**Rainfall: black tom with grey and white flecks**

**Reedclaw: grey and blue-tinge tom with white tail and ears**

**Suncall: Golden tom with green eyes**

** Apprentice, Mosspaw**

**Dovefeather: pretty grey she-cat with blue eyes**

** Apprentice, Beaverpaw**

**Wavefall: Black she-cat with amber eyes and white chest**

**Vinetail: Tabby tom with green eyes and long tail**

**Sparrowpelt: light brown tabby tom with blue eyes**

** Apprentice, Lightpaw**

**Apprentices ~**

**Mosspaw: Grey and blue she-cat with green eyes **

**Lightpaw: Pale golden she-cat with green eyes and a long tail**

**Pebblepaw: Grey tom with blue eyes and black spots**

**Beaverpaw: Dark brown she-cat with long claws**

**Otterpaw: Handsome tom with a dark ginger coat and amber eyes**

**Queens ~**

**Swallowtail: beautiful she-cat with a black tail and lighter blue tinged black fur, mother of Fishleap's kits; Minnowkit (silver tom with green eyes); Leafkit (black she-cat with blue eyes and a white left ear); and Willowkit (black she-cat with white stripes) **

**Larksong: beautiful ginger she-cat with green eyes, expecting Sparrowpelt's kits**

**Elders ~**

**Froststep: ginger tom with white paws**

**Barktail: white she-cat with light brown tail and soft fur**

**WindClan **

**Leader ~ Longstar: dark grey tom with unusually long legs**

**Deputy ~ Mothfur: light grey she-cat **

** Apprentice: Skypaw**

**Medicine Cat ~ Sungaze: black tom with amber/tawny eyes**

** Apprentice: Bumblepaw**

**Warriors ~ **

**Heatherstep: small she-cat with green eyes and cream fur**

**Winterheart: White tom with green eyes**

**Ebonyfur: Black she-cat with amber eyes**

** Apprentice, Fleetpaw**

**Breezeclaw: Black tom with yellow eyes**

** Apprentice, Lillypaw**

**Blazeears: White she-cat with ginger ears**

**Honeystep: light-brown she-cat with cream paws**

** Apprentice, Lightningpaw**

**Quickclaw: Ginger-and-white tom with long claws**

**Apprentices ~ **

**Fleetpaw: Quick light brown tom with green eyes**

**Lillypaw: Black she-cat with blue eyes**

**Lightningpaw: Brown tabby tom, unusually fast**

**Queens ~ **

**Morningstep: grey she-cat with white paws, expecting Quickclaw's kits**

**Elders ~**

**Whiteclaw: White she-cat with black paws, one white toe**

**Rabbitchase: Cream tom, extremely quick, great hunter **

**ThunderClan**

**Leader ~ Ripplestar: white she-cat with blue eyes**

** Apprentice, Leappaw**

**Deputy ~ Eaglestrike: strong dark ginger tom with amber eyes**

**Medicine Cat ~ Hollowfur: black she-cat with blue eyes**

** Apprentice, Lakepaw**

**Warriors ~**

**Vinegrip: handsome black tom with huge paws**

** Apprentice, Bearpaw**

**Flamesoul: fiery black she-cat with ginger spots and green eyes**

**Voleclaw: black tom with white paws and long claws**

** Apprentice, Willowpaw**

**Brackenheart: Ginger she-cat with green eyes and white chest**

**Hawknight: Light brown she-cat with black ears**

** Apprentice, Frostpaw**

**Goldenface: Pretty cream she-cat with pale golden face**

**Ivyears: Black tom with brown ears**

**Apprentices ~ **

**Lakepaw: White tom with deep blue eyes**

**Leappaw: Pretty brown she-cat with long legs**

**Frostpaw: Handsome snow-white tom with blue eyes**

**Willowpaw: Light brown she-cat with darker stripes**

**Bearpaw: Dark brown powerful tom**

**Queens ~ **

**Featherstep: Fluffy grey she-cat with blue eyes, expecting Vinegrip's kits**

**Elders ~ **

**Tornclaw: Light brown tom who lost all of his front claws in battle, retired early**

**Springsong: Once-pretty tabby she-cat with smooth voice and pelt**


	3. Chapter One

Chapter One

"Ghostpaw! Ghostpaw!" A whispered hiss reached a black she-cat's ears, making them prick and swivel drowsily. The hiss became annoyed and grew slightly louder as the voice came closer. "Ghostpaw… you lazy fur ball! Get up!" Something hard came down and nudged the she-cat in the ribs.

"Oof." With a grunt, Ghostpaw pulled herself to her feet, opening her eyes. She didn't need to; she knew her brother, Rippaw, was the cat that had woken her. "What is it now, Rippaw?" She asked, licking a paw and running it over her ear.

Rippaw breathed in and out slowly, obviously trying to control his frustration with his sister, who was deliberately being stubborn. She knew how much it annoyed him. "Moonrise wants you for the dawn patrol, and your almost late."

With a jolt, Ghostpaw became fully alert, her blue eyes sparkling. "Well then, what are you standing around for? Get out of my way!" With that, she shouldered her way past him, flicking his ears with her tail tip. "Just joking … you long-toothed rat!"

With a mocking yowl she ran out of the apprentice's den, Rippaw just behind her, growling and purring at the same time, resulting in a strange noise. "I'll show you who the long-tooth rat is! I'm only older by a heartbeat!" He pounced, pinning her to the ground. With a heart-felt growl, Ghostpaw rolled, crushing her brother. Springing up, she waited for him to stand before leaping over his head, spinning as she landed and playfully lunging at his hind paws, sending him sprawling all over again.

"Ghostpaw! Rippaw! What are you, kits again?" A deep mew broke the playful scuffle and got the apprentices to scramble to stand up straight. "Ghostpaw, you won't have time to eat, the dawn patrol is leaving." The mew belonged to Moonrise, Ghostpaw's mentor. The strong tom's muscle's rippled underneath a glistening black pelt, and the white moon around his left eye stood out remarkably. _Your eyes stand out like that to …_ Ghostpaw felt proud at the fact that she could be compared to her Clan-famous mentor in some way.

Dipping her head in acknowledgement and respect, she hurried off after the tom, waving goodbye to Rippaw with her tail. Hurrying with her mentor, she joined with the dawn patrol, which was waiting next to the gap in the holly bushes that encircled the camp. "And the great warrior is awake!" Flamepaw teased gently at her, butting his head against her shoulder. She flicked him across his muzzle with her tail, pleased to be on patrol with her denmate.

"Alright, we're going to be patrolling the ThunderClan boarder," Shadowstep mewed to her patrol as they exited the camp. The deputy looked at her patrol with a glint in her eye before mewing, "Now, try to keep up, will you?" Purring slightly, she bolted off through the trees towards the ThunderClan boarder, silent as a shadow. The rest of the patrol kept just as quite as she did, racing through the pine trees with ease as they weaved in and out of undergrowth. Drawing towards the ThunderClan border, they slowed, tasting the air for any intruders.

"It's clear, Shadowstep. We're at the boarder." Moonrise reported, his keen eyesight and nose not detecting any other cats.

"Good," Shadowstep gave one final taste of the air, before issuing her orders. "Now, if we see any ThunderClan flea bags crossing our territory, you all have permission to chase them off by any means necessary." With a growl, she set off through the undergrowth, her patrol spread out loosely so as to get a wider view.

Ghostpaw gazed up at the dawn sky, the milky pink now giving way to eggshell blue. She could just glimpse Silverpelt through the wisps of clouds, rapidly disappearing in the new sunlight. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" She whirled around, hackles raised, only to calm down as she realized that it was only Flamepaw talking.

Setting back on her patrol, she murmured an agreement as Flamepaw drew up beside her. "Yeah, it really is." They set off in silence for a while, stopping to check the scent once in a while. Her eyes picked up a glimpse of dark ginger fur, just a shade darker then Flamepaw's, and she growled as she felt her hackles rise. A gust of wind stirred her fur, blowing her scent towards her enemy, but she didn't need the wind. Somehow she just knew who it was, and her eyes could still see him, even through the dense undergrowth were any cat could not. With a yowl, she plunged into the bushes, yowling, "ShadowClan! ThunderClan warriors are intruding!"

Her paws met dark fur, and she was rewarded with a painful yowl from her enemy as she was shaken off. Whirling around, her opponent faced her, and she growled louder as her suspicions were realized. Eaglestrike, the ThunderClan deputy, was staring right back at her with hate in his eyes. Cats flocked to Eaglestrike's painful yowl, and Ghostpaw recognized the two stronger jet-black warriors, Ivyears and Vinegrip, their huge muscles rippling, and a smaller yet still big apprentice with dark brown fur, which Ghostpaw recognized as Bearpaw. Next to them, a black she-cat with ginger spots sneered at her. Ghostpaw remembered Flamepaw describing her from a gathering as Flamesoul.

Snorting, Vinegrip relaxed and started laughing slightly. "You shouldn't make such a fuss next time Eaglestrike, it's only an _apprentice_! And a young apprentice from _ShadowClan_ at that!" Growling, Vinegrip sneered at her as Flamepaw rushed to her side. "Oh, _two_ ShadowClan apprentice's, I'm so scared!" Laughing, the five ThunderClan warriors advanced, growling at the two apprentices.

Flamepaw growled fiercely at them, backing up towards the trees, but Ghostpaw stood her ground, feeling fire burning in her veins. She wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into any of their pelts, but she had to wait first. "What are you doing on ShadowClan land?" She kept her voice low, but her eyes glared at Eaglestrike, and some fire from her body seemed to seep into her eyes, locking him in place.

He froze, glaring right back at her. "This is _our _territory now! And you'll pay for getting in my way, you little freak piece of fox-dung!" Before Eaglestrike could attack, Ghostpaw screeched and clawed at his face, her long and powerful claws gouging deep in his cheeks, drawing blood. Roaring, Eaglestrike lunged at her, and she dodged, rolling to the side and leaping up, clawing his side as she leapt. Yowling, he spun around and the five warriors cornered Ghostpaw. Hissing, she clawed at Flamesoul, immediately wiping the sneer off of her face. Screeching, Flamesoul leapt onto Ghostpaw and the two she-cats rolled around in a ball of screeching fur. Ghostpaw bit into her shoulder and threw her off, but immediately Ivyears and Bearpaw leapt at her, pinning her to the ground. Ivyears held down her shoulders while Bearpaw clawed at her. Hissing, Ghostpaw rammed her head into Ivyear's jaw, stunning him. Taking advantage of her free shoulders, she leapt up and bit into Bearpaw's tail, running her claws down his sides. Eaglestrike threw her off quickly with a grab at her scruff, but not before she tasted blood and scraped away pawfulls of flesh and fur. The five cats ganged up on her, pelting her with attacks for a little longer. _Where is Flamepaw!_

Just as she thought it, the clearing burst to life with four fresh screeching cats. Moonrise crashed into Vinegrip, who was just about to bite her throat, and started clawing at his shoulder's and ears, ripping through fur and flesh. Kinktail, Flamepaw's mentor, leapt onto Flamesoul, pinning down the she-cat and scratching her haunches while Flamepaw went after Bearpaw. Shadowstep burst into the fighting and dragged Ivyear's off of Moonrise. Jumping to her paws, Ghostpaw immediately sprang at Eaglestrike, clawing at the dark ginger tom's ears, ripping the right ear to shreds. Yowling, the deputy swung at Ghostpaw, scratching her just above her eye. Shaking her head, she faked a jump and, while clearing her eyes, dove under the huge tom's belly, clawing at his stomach while she did. He was slow spinning around, and she jumped onto his back, biting deep into his shoulder until she felt bone. Yowling in pain, Eaglestrike threw her off and took off towards the ThunderClan border, yelling, "ThunderClan, retreat!" Stopping just after the borderline, he swung around and glared at Ghostpaw. "This isn't over, you mewling little kit. ThunderClan _will_ have this territory! And I will get you back for this!" With that, he spun around and raced toward his camp as quick as his injured shoulder could manage, his shredded ear bleeding heavily.


End file.
